The United Synagogue

US Burial Team Restores Swansea Cemetery - With Michael Howard's Assistance

PRESS RELEASE

London,
15th December 2009


US BURIAL TEAM RESTORES SWANSEA CEMETERY - WITH MICHAEL HOWARD'S ASSISTANCE

The United Synagogue's burial team has restored a vandalised Jewish cemetery in Swansea following a recent request from the local Jewish community.

The US visited the cemetery after being approached by the Right Honourable Michael Howard QC, who wished for his father, who was buried at the Townhill Cemetery in Swansea in 1966, to be moved to Bushey Cemetery to join his late mother. On learning of the desecration, the US staff spent two days restoring Townhill Cemetery back to a dignified state, with the support of Mr. Howard who offered to pay for some of the team's expenses.

Townhill Cemetery opened in the 1700's. It is now a closed cemetery but is maintained by the local Jewish community and is not linked to the United Synagogue in any way.

Melvyn Hartog, Head of Burial Services at the US, commented: "The restoration of a non-US cemetery is not something we would normally get involved in but we felt we couldn't leave the cemetery in such disrepair. I am incredibly proud of our US team who worked extremely hard in terrible weather conditions to restore knocked over stones and cut back the overgrown brambles. In particular, I am grateful to our Cemeteries' Manager, Mark Williams, who organised the operation and who has many years of experience looking after our own US cemeteries."

The Rt Honourable Michael Howard QC, commented: "I cannot speak highly enough about the way in which the US Burial staff conducted themselves and the work they carried out. The cemetery was in a state of disrepair but after the team's extremely hard work, this very old and important Jewish cemetery has been restored to a much more dignified condition. I would also like to personally thank Melvyn Hartog and his team for bringing my father back to London to rest in peace alongside my recently departed mother."


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